Maryam announces state-of-the-art teaching hospital in Rasul, admissions at Rasul Medical College from Jan 2027

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art teaching hospital at Rasul

MANDI BAHAUDDIN: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art teaching hospital at Rasul and said admissions to Rasul Medical College would commence from January 2027.

Addressing a laptop and Honhaar Scholarship distribution ceremony at the University of Rasul, the chief minister congratulated students and their parents, saying the sacrifices of parents had enabled their children to pursue higher education. On her request, participants stood up to pay tribute to parents.

Maryam said the University of Rasul had been under construction for around two decades and only 149 students were enrolled when she took charge, while the number had now risen to around 3,000.
She said billions of rupees had been invested in establishing new departments of social sciences, life sciences and business management so students would not have to travel to other cities for higher education.

She said the government was working to ensure merit in all schemes and claimed there was no room for political recommendations in the laptop and Honhaar Scholarship programmes.
“Punjab has moved beyond the era of recommendations,” she said, adding that scholarships, laptops and other facilities were being provided according to eligibility.

The chief minister also spoke at length about law and order and protection of citizens, particularly women and vulnerable groups. She said she was prepared to go to jail for the safety and justice of the people of Punjab and warned criminals against harming mothers and daughters.
Referring to recent incidents involving a scooter-riding girl and a petrol station employee, Ms Maryam said powerful people could no longer expect to escape accountability because of their wealth or influence.

She urged courts to impose punishments that would make offenders realise the consequences of their actions. She said she would meet the Chief Justice of Pakistan and the female Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court if necessary for issues concerning public safety and justice.

The chief minister said her government wanted a Punjab where the law applied equally to the rich and poor. “The era has ended when a powerful person could exploit the weak and people would simply tolerate it,” she said.
Ms Maryam also urged women and girls to believe in themselves, saying they were capable of achieving anything. She said the government had taken measures to make girls more independent, including the provision of electric bikes.

She announced that e-bikes would start being distributed from Nov 5, with black bikes for boys and pink bikes for girls. “My daughters will no longer have to wait for anyone for their transport,” she said.
The chief minister said more than 35,000 kilometres of roads had been constructed or repaired across Punjab, while 250,000 houses were being built under the Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar programme without political recommendations.

She said the government had also introduced green buses, new markets, food streets and parks in Mandi Bahauddin.
Turning to students, Ms Maryam said the future of Pakistan was in the hands of young people. She urged them to remain loyal to the country and never allow the national flag to bow.

“Every child is a walking Pakistan,” she said, adding that the government and state stood with students.
The chief minister said the government could provide laptops, scholarships and e-bikes worth millions, but it could not repay even a fraction of the love shown by students.

She urged young people not to participate in violence or destruction in the name of protests, saying parents gave their children books and laptops, not sticks and stones.
“Pakistan’s destiny is in the hands of its youth,” she said, calling upon students to make a firm decision to remain loyal to the country and contribute to its future.